Alexandria: Va. should pay Metro match

The Alexandria City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to endorse a transportation panel's position that Virginia provide Metro with $50 million, the state's share of a match required for the federal government to provide $150 million for capital spending on rail cars and safety improvements.

Mayor William D. Euille said that he opposes McDonnell's request until the commonwealth provides 100 percent of Virginia's Metro funding, like the District and Maryland already do. In Virginia, each locality pays according to the size of the system in their city or county.

"We've all said we'll give up our seats if Virginia pays 100 percent of the costs," Euille said. "'Well, they [Virginia transportation officials] don't want to do that."
The governor first raised the issue in May on WTOP Radio.

The federal government has agreed to provide $1.5 billion to Metro over the next 10 years as long as the District, Maryland and Virginia provide matching funds.

The Alexandria council also unanimously voted to fund more than $62 million in capital improvements over the next six years for Metro.

The majority of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors also agreed at their Tuesday meeting to send a letter to the governor urging him to honor the capital match payments.

Rick Taube, executive director of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, said that members have clearly said the governor should keep the state's commitments to Metro "that according to the previous secretary of transportation were legally binding."

I agree w/ Bob McDonnell withholding funds from Metro. First of all given the fact that most of Virginia's portion of the expansion of the Silver line is coming off the backs of us Dulles Toll Road users is enough. Let's not forget the ever increasing Metro fare hikes that do nothing to improve service or safety. That troll Jim Graham seems to think it's ok that NVA riders of Metro shouldn't be upset w/ increases (parking, train, etc). They have more $$$$ and folks in the District are poor and shouldn't have to bone up more $$$$. I think it's about time to evaluate Metro management as well as the Goverment entities running it and really F*CKING it up!!!